Rail-joint and method of forming same



(No Model.

. H. W. PALK.

RAIL JOINT AND METHOD OF FORMING-SAME.

No. 558,271- Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

wwjz gxmvma sx Wwm TNESSE ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN V. FALK, OF MILIVAUKEE, VISGONSIN.

RAIL-JOINT AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,271, dated April 14, 1896.

Application filed August 26, 1895. $erial No. 560,539. N0 model.)

To all whom, it Wmy concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN \V. FALK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, State of Visconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rail-Joints and Method of Forming Same; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail-joints and methods of forming the same; and it consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a strong and rigid joint between adjacent ends of railway-rails which will firmly support the ends of the rails in position and prevent any longitudinal, lateral, or vertical movement of the rails.

A further object of my invention is to en able me to electrically bond the rails so as to enable them to carry electric currents, when used upon electric railways.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail-joint embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating a somewhat diiferent form of construction. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of another form of construction.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A A

designate a pair of rail ends, and B designates a body of cast metal, which is molded or cast upon the surfaces of the abutting ends of said rails.

Suitable projections, notches, or other irregularities are provided upon the rail ends for engagement with the cast metal in order to securely retain the rail ends in position therein. For this purpose I may employ the means shown in Figs. 2 or 3, or means such as shown in Fig. 4. In the particular construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3 laterallyprojecting pins are passed through apertures in the webs of the rail ends in such a manner as to become embedded in the cast-metal body B,when the latter is formed upon the rail ends.

In the particular form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 straight pins C O are fitted in the apertures in the webs of the rail ends, the usual bolt-holes being utilized for this purpose, and said pins being made of such length as to extend for a considerable distance into the cast-metal body B.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 pins D D of somewhat different shape are employed, said pins being provided adjacent to their extremities with circumferential grooves d (1, whereby suitable heads D D are formed upon the extremities of the pins. It follows from this construction that when the body B of cast metal is formed about the rail ends the metal will flow around the pins 0 O or D D, as the case may be, and with the projecting portions of said pins will become embedded in the castmetal body. It also follows that as the body B solidifies the shrinkage of the cast metal will, by engagement with said pins, serve to draw the rail ends into close juxtaposition, the abutting faces thereof being very forcibly pressed together.

In the particular form of construction shown in Fig. 4 the base-flanges of the rail ends are notched, serrated, or otherwise provided with irregularities, and the cast metal engaging therewith, in the same manner as with the pro j ectingpins, serves to firmly retain the rail ends in position. By this construction the rail ends may be very firmly united and held together, by reason of the engagement of the cast metal with the projections or irregularities, and thus union will be obtained and the rail ends held with equal firmness, whether the cast-metal body B becomes fused to the surfaces of the rail ends or is simply molded around the projections or irregularities thereof.

In order to establish an electrical bond between the rail ends, means may be provided for fusing the projecting pins to the cast metal, as in Fig. 3, in which the reduction in size of the pins so as to leave the central spindles with the washer-like heads D D, enables the said heads to be melted by contact with the molten metal when the same is poured around the abutting rail ends. In this manner the extremities of the pins D D will become fused into the cast metal, and will thus form electrical bonds between said cast metal and the rail ends in which they are fitted. Both of the rail ends being thus electrically bonded to the cast-metal body B, said cast metal Will serve to electrically bond the rail ends with each other.

As a further means of insuring a satisfactory electrical bond, I may employ means such as shown in Fig. 2, in which a copper or other soft-metal plug E is passed through an aperture 6 in each of the rail ends and is riveted or headed down upon both sides of said rail end, the heads thereof being arranged to extend considerably beyond the surfaces of said rail end.

Upon casting the body B around the rail ends, as before described, the molten metal surrounding the heads of the soft-metal plug will cause the same to melt down and unite by fusion With the cast-metal body. I11 this manner the plugs E E serve to electrically bond the respective rail ends with the castmetal body, said cast-metal body thus serving to bond the rail ends With each other.

By my improvement I am enabled to provide a very strong, rigid and durable joint for railway-rails, by means of Which the abutting ends of the rails are held in positive and immovable contact with each other and the alinement of the rails perfectly and permanently maintained. By my improvement the projections, notches, serrations, or other irregularities upon the rail ends engaging with the cast-metal body which surrounds the rail ends prevents any liability of the rail ends pulling apart While in use. By my improvement, therefore, I am enabled to construct railway-tracks in which the rails, being joined by my improved method, are held in absolute 1. A method of joining rail ends consisting in fitting pins or plugs of fusible metal into apertures in the webs of the rail ends, casting a body of metal around and upon the surfaces of said rail ends, and uniting the extremities of said pins or plugs With said body of cast metal by fusion, substantially as described.

2. A method of joining and electrically bonding rails, consisting in fitting pins or plugs of soft metal in apertures in the webs of said rail ends, casting a body of metal around and upon the surfaces of said rail ends, so as to inclose the projecting ends of said pins or plugs, and causing said projecting portions of the plugs to unite by fusion with said body of cast metal, substantially as described.

3. A method of joining and electrically bonding rails, consisting in providing a pair of rail ends with projections, notches, or irregularities, fitting pins or plugs of fusible metal in apertures in the Webs of said rail ends, casting a body of metal around and upon the surfaces of said rail ends, and said projections, notches, or irregularities, and causing the extremities of said pins or plugs of fusible metal to unite by fusion with said body of cast metal, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

HERMAN WV. FALK. WVitnesses:

J OHN E. WILns, LEON J. WILDE. 

